Taryn Simon

Gagosian is pleased to announce an exhibition of new works by Taryn Simon. Opening on March 20 at Park & 75, New York, it includes an interactive sculpture and a group of photographs that take an archaeological view of public attention and politics.

Kleroterion (2024) is a cast resin sculpture that functions as both a game and a model of governance. Named after a device developed during the era of democracy in ancient Athens (c. 460–c. 322 BCE), the work invites individuals to assemble in groups of five and determine what power the game’s winner will be granted. Each participant inserts a colored chip into an empty slot, and a hand crank sets in motion a weighted set of balls that travel through the machine and knock out all but one chip, employing chance to determine a victor.

According to historical accounts and surviving artifacts, the kleroterion was used to select male citizens for civic offices. Conducted in plain view of the public, this randomized lottery was a primary aspect of the Athenian system of direct democracy, rather than elections, which were thought to be corruptible. Commissioned by Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, New York, Simon’s reimagined Kleroterion was first exhibited in the fall of 2024 in advance of the US presidential election.